


A Step Forward

by Evelyn6



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Jealousy, Post-episode: s06e07, Rumbelle - Freeform, Smut, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-30 11:55:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8532109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evelyn6/pseuds/Evelyn6
Summary: If anyone was going to kiss Rumplestiltskin, Belle decided, it was going to be her.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A post-episode rewrite of the shop scene in episode seven. This went a bit... 'feelier' than I intended, but it seems I can't stop trying to fix this lol. Hope you still enjoy <3

"You wouldn't like to know the rest of what those two have been up to," Zelena said snidely, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

Belle narrowed her eyes, the woman's meaning sinking into her chest and igniting a fire that left her gut churning with something furious. To admit what it was would be to assume that she had any right to care what her estranged husband was up to, but she still couldn't deny the feeling. It roiled inside of her, made her feel like crawling out of her skin and sinking inside herself all at once.

She was _jealous_.

Her eyes flickered to the Evil Queen where she stood pacing in front of the crowd, darkness and power practically radiating from her - things Belle knew she would never possess. She might have been a queen, once, but she would never command people's attention the way that woman could. She would never understand Rumplestiltskin the way she did either, or appeal to the side of him that relished in the darkness. She would always come up short in comparison.

Belle narrowed her eyes, her jaw clenching as a sudden wave of determination rushed through her. She may not be the Evil Queen, but she did have one thing: her husband's love. Gods knew they weren't on the best of terms at the moment, but he loved her and she loved him and she'd be dammed if she let that woman come between them again.

She turned on her heel, ignoring Zelena's cackle and daring either her or the Queen to try to stop her as she made her way back to town. Her heels clicked determinedly against Main Street and her chin was held high as she marched straight to the pawn shop at the end of the street.

The bell above the door threatened to come off its hinge as she shoved her way inside, but Belle didn't even blink at the shrill noise. Her eyes were locked on the man behind the counter who had whipped his head up at her entrance, his eyes wide with surprise until he saw who had barged in. There was a moment, as she paused just inside the shop, when she could see his face light up and his mouth moved as if to say her name. Then she slammed the door behind her and watched as the happiness in his eyes dimmed with wariness.

She was out of breath when she reached the counter and gripped the corner in a white-knuckled grasp, but she wasn't sure if it was from the walk or anger or the adrenaline coursing through her system.

Rumplestiltskin looked like he couldn't decide whether to bolt or say something. She couldn't decide if she wanted to yell at him or grab him by the tie and kiss him so hard he forgot about anyone but her.

"Zelena told me about you and the Evil Queen," she announced, surprised at how serene her voice sounded. Serene, but unmistakably laced with something dangerous.

He heard it too, judging by the way he swallowed hard, his eyes darting between the door and her hands before returning to her face. "Belle, it's not what it sounds like, I swear. I was just-"

"Did you fuck her?" she interrupted, her gaze unwavering.

Rumplestiltskin looked stunned by her question, his brow furrowing with confusion as he stuttered, "W-What?"

She forced herself to take a breath and slowly leaned forward over the counter. "Did. You. _Fuck._ Her," she repeated, her voice low.

The flash of disbelief that crossed over his face told her more than any words could have, but she still remained silent so he could say, "Of course not. Gods, Belle, I would never... I could never betray you like that. Surely you know that," he pleaded.

"I- I kissed her, yes," he admitted. "But it meant nothing. She means nothing. It was... Belle, you have to understand, she's _dangerous_. And the more she thinks I'm on her side, that I'm nurturing the darkness, the safer you are. I just wanted-"

He didn't get to finish his explanation because she finally did grab him by his tie and yank him forward, and then their mouths were pressed together, slipping into place like magnets, and suddenly words didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the warmth of his lips, the moan that vibrated low in his throat, the taste of him - so blissfully familiar that it made her heart ache even as a flood of heat washed through her.

Whatever his relationship with the Queen was, she didn't imagine anyone could make Rumplestiltskin crumble the way she could. His surprise had paralyzed him for a moment, but by his next breath he was chasing her, his fingers sinking into her hair as he tried to hold her closer, his mouth a frenzy against hers. She could feel him trembling, could feel his need boiling as he brushed the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip, begging for entry to her mouth. She considered denying him, but the truth was that she wanted to taste him as much as he did her, needed it like the breath that was rapidly leaving her lungs.

The moment she parted her mouth, his tongue found hers, sending a shiver straight down to her toes. She wasn't sure who moaned, only that his hands had tightened in her hair and he was kissing her as if he might never get the chance to again and it was absolutely glorious.

She was barely aware of the way her feet lost their purchase on the floor, of the rush that went through her as his magic closed over them. The next thing she knew, the counter was pressed against her back and her husband was plastered to her front. She had forgotten how well they fit together, all molded curves and warmth, and when she shifted her hips she could feel the hardness of his arousal pressed against her belly.

Rumplestiltskin grunted at the movement, his hands leaving her hair to grip her waist instead. He was holding her so tightly it hurt - and it was everything she needed. His length was pressed against her core, even the layers of clothing between them unable to hide the heat burning through them both. He jerked his hips and let out a low whine, their kisses turning sloppy as her arms wound around his neck to keep him close.

When his mouth left hers, she tilted her head back to welcome his lips against her neck. His mouth felt like fire, his ragged breaths spreading over her skin as he placed open mouth kisses along her jaw and the length of her neck until he reached the spot beneath her ear that they both loved.

"Belle..." he whispered, his voice hoarse and his brogue almost unintelligible in that way that made her knees weak.

She swallowed and forced herself not to think about all the reasons that this was probably a bad idea when she said, "Back room. Now."

He hesitated for only a moment before his magic was around them again, and when it cleared they were beside the small cot in the back room. His hands were grasping at the back of her dress, fingers fumbling for the zipper, but hers were too busy shoving his jacket off his shoulders to help him. She already had his jacket and tie on the floor and the first few buttons of his shirt undone when he finally got the zipper lowered. She toed off her heels as she tugged his shirt out of his trousers, but froze when she finally got a proper look at him. His hands stopped tugging at her dress when she gasped.

"B-Belle?"

He'd lost weight. Quite a bit of weight. He was lean to begin with, but now she could see the outline of his ribs and his stomach was flatter than it used to be. She frowned as she realized he hadn't been eating properly, worry and anger all boiling in her already heated veins because dammit, he needed to take care of himself.

_That's supposed to be your job, Belle,_  a voice snarled in her head.

She clenched her jaw as she willed the voice to be silent, as she tried not to think of how terribly she was letting him down as she tried to find herself amidst all of this darkness. He needed her, she knew. She often forgot just how much. But if she thought too much about it she would stop what they were doing because she knew it wouldn't help - and she needed this.

When she leaned up to kiss him again, it was softer, an apology she couldn't bear to say aloud but hoped he still heard, somehow. It was the only moment she allowed herself before she brought her hands to his belt and he sighed with relief against her as he resumed his work on her dress. It was pooled around her feet moments later and then she couldn't think about anything at all because his hands were everywhere at once, warmth and safety and a familiarity that shook her to her core.

Gods, how she had missed him.

Her hands faltered at his belt as he ducked his head to press a trail of kisses over her chest, nibbling at the swell of her breasts before he drew his tongue over the thin lace covering her nipple. The little bud was already hard and aching for him, and the friction sent a blast of warmth straight between her legs as she whimpered and leaned further into his mouth. He clutched her hips closer as he closed his teeth around her, and her head flew back at the sensation.

She could get lost in him if she wished, could already feel herself melting into his arms, but that wasn't what she wanted. She forced her fingers to loosen their grip on his hair and brought them to his shoulders, shoving him away from her.

He looked positively wrecked when he glanced up at her, molten brown eyes that looked at her like a man starved.

"Trousers off," she commanded, her voice hoarse.

He groaned, but hurried to obey, toeing off his shoes and socks while his fingers made quick work of his belt buckle and then the fastening of his trousers. He shoved it all down in one fell swoop, and Belle licked her lips as his cock sprang free, hard and thick between his legs.

His fingers were twitching when he straightened, itching to reach for her, his eyes pleading, but she gestured with her head at the cot and said, "Lie down."

He gave her a parting look of longing before he climbed onto the cot, and her eyes trailed over his body as he settled. It was one she knew nearly as well as her own; knew how to pleasure and knew how it felt against her back when he gathered her in his arms. As she rid herself of the last of the barriers between them, her bra and panties landing somewhere on the shop floor, it felt right to walk towards him, to swing her leg over his waist to straddle him.

Oh, if only they could talk as well as they did this.

She could feel his erection pressed against her thigh where she hovered over him, the heat of it almost scorching her. She shifted her hips so the tip drew across her skin, and she could feel wetness spreading there as her husband growled beneath her. His fingers tightened around her thighs, and his hips jerked against her the tiniest bit.

She smirked as she leaned forward to kiss his chest, her curls spilling over her shoulders to follow in her wake as she kissed her way to his neck and the spot where his neck met his jaw.

"What did she taste like when you kissed her?" she murmured against his skin.

He whined, his nose trying to nudge her temple. "Like ash," he choked out.

She hummed as she put her weight on one hand, freeing the other. She made sure he was watching as she brought that hand between her legs, her fingers gathering the moisture there and bringing it to her mouth. Her lips closed over the digits slowly, her tongue wiping them clean as Rumplestiltskin shifted beneath her and looked on with a wild glint in his eyes.

" _Fuck_ ," he muttered, his attention flickering between her mouth and her eyes. "Belle, _please_..."

She let go of her fingers slowly, her eyes locked on his all the while, and then she leaned forward. His hands clutched her head and brought her the rest of the way, their mouths clashing together roughly. He _plundered_ her mouth, his tongue chasing the traces of her flavor to every corner he could find. He was shaking beneath her, his hips twitching, and she could feel her own juices now trailing down her thigh.

She wrapped her fingers around his neck, easing him away so she could meet his eyes. She had never seen him as desperate as he looked in that moment, his eyes fire and pleading all at once. It was with their eyes locked that she finally sank down on him, taking him inside her and feeling him fill her up as she clenched around him, pleasure bursting through her so intense that her toes curled. Her mouth parted on a gasp as her husband let out a string of curse words and clutched her tightly.

While she still had a shred of control in her grasp, she curled her lip and snarled, "You are _mine,_ Rumplestiltskin."

Her claim seemed to break a dam inside him, a feral noise bursting from his mouth as he rolled her over and sunk inside her even further, pulling back before practically slamming inside her again. Belle threw her head back with pleasure, her legs wrapping around his waist to welcome him deeper. His pace was so beautifully rough, nothing held back, and she felt herself already cresting that peak as he buried his face in her neck. They were both coated in a sheen of sweat and her nails were scoring his back, and then he shifted slightly so that he brushed her clit as he moved and she fell harder than she had in years, crying his name into the air.

He followed right after her, thrusting to the hilt inside her as he stiffened, and with a hoarse shout she felt him empty inside her, long bursts of warmth filling her as her inner walls milked him dry.

Neither of them seemed inclined to move for a while, all tangled limbs and sticky skin and ragged breaths. She cradled the back of his head and kissed his shoulder as he calmed. He made a small noise of protest as his cock softened and he slipped from between her thighs, nuzzling against her neck as if he were afraid she would leave him at any moment. She swallowed hard around the bead of guilt that formed in her throat and cupped his face, urging him to look at her.

He met her eyes hesitantly, his own filled with such uncertainty that her heart clenched. She didn't have the words to reassure him that she meant what she'd said, so she leaned forward and brushed her lips softly over his. This kiss was different than the others; it was the kind that made butterflies flutter in her chest, that made her heart feel like it might burst. It was a kiss that said 'I love you. No matter what, I love you.'

He sighed against her mouth as he kissed her back, the tension finally leaving his shoulders as he settled beside her. When their mouths parted, his eyes were glistening as he gazed back at her. He raised his hand to brush his thumb over her cheek, cradling her face in his palm.

"I _am_ yours, Belle," he said quietly. "Forever."

She closed her eyes with a hum, his words washing over her and filling those places where doubt had snuck in between the cracks in her heart.

"As I am yours, Rumple," she whispered.

He pulled her into his arms and she softened against him, burrowing beneath his chin as he held her. His fingers were drawing little circles in her skin and she knew there were so many more words to be said, still so much that was broken and in need of mending between them, but she couldn't bring herself to regret what had happened. It gave her hope - how easily they could slide back into who they had always been, to find comfort in each other's arms. Love was always there, of that she had no doubt. She hoped the rest would follow, somehow.

For now, though, in the quiet that settled over them, something else was niggling at the back of her mind. Something else Zelena had mentioned. She hesitated to bring it up now, in this small moment of peace they had both found, but the words were out before she had decided to say them.

"What is your plan for the shears?"

The witch had tried to tell her that he planned to use them on their son. She had been furious, at first, until she remembered that no one ever knew Rumplestiltskin's intentions except him. So she had tried to put the notion aside - until the question was off her tongue.

His grip around her tightened infinitesimally, and she knew right away that she hit a sore spot. His instinct would be to brush her off and her mind rebelled angrily until she forced herself to breathe. If she never gave him a chance, how could she ever expect him to trust her enough to open up?

"I... I want to use them on myself," he muttered softly, so quietly that she barely heard him. But she _did_  hear him, and clamored out of his arms to stare at him in shock.

He sighed, his face falling as he looked back at her.

"They don't just work on the Savior, Belle. I can use them to... sever myself from the curse."

She frowned. "Why would you do that?"

His mouth quirked, his eyes softening as he looked at her - as if the answer should be obvious. "For you, Belle. And for our son."

"I don't understand," she said with a little shake of her head.

"Belle, I was ready to give up my curse to wake you from the dream world. I still am. I know I'll never succeed at being the man you want while I still have the darkness inside of me," he said sadly. "I'm not sure I'll succeed without it, either, but I can't lose you, Belle. I won't survive it."

She shook her head and pressed her hand to his cheek, urging him to look at her. "Rumplestiltskin, you listen to me. You have always been the man that I want. I accepted a long time ago that the darkness is a part of you. And I love all of you. I don't want you to sacrifice who you are for me. I struggle with your _choices_ , Rumple, not with _you._ "

"Belle..." he whimpered, his eyes glistening.

She bent down to kiss him, lingering for a moment and willing her words to reach him.

"I love you, Rumple. That will never change," she promised. "I still see the man you can be - a man who embraces both the good and the bad. And I want us to find our way back to that path we always talked about; the one where we are together. But I want us to do it by working together. Not with magic or shears or shortcuts. _Together_."

"I keep failing you," he whispered.

"We've both made mistakes," she admitted with a wry twist of her lips. "And yet you still stand by me. Why?"

He frowned, immediately answering, "Because I love you."

"Exactly," she said with a wistful smile. "We'll find our way, husband. Together."

He still looked doubtful, but she could see the quiet resolve slowly growing behind his eyes and in the set of his jaw. She hoped it would be enough.

She let out her breath when he nodded, and repeated, "Together."

He kissed her again before she curled back into his arms, content to hold onto this moment and the tentative sort of understanding they had between them. It had been so long since hope bloomed in her chest, since the frustration had simmered into a simple desire to make things _work_. And it was Heaven to be held in her husband's arms once more, to have the scent of him around her, his skin pressed against hers as her body still buzzed with pleasure.

"You're not eating," she said suddenly, her fingers idly tracing patterns in his chest.

He ducked his head, his nose brushing her temple as he muttered, "I forget to eat when you're not around."

She shook her head fondly. "Well, we'll have to fix that."

She felt him smile against her hair. And somehow she knew that, though they still had a long way to go, they were going to be alright.


End file.
